-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Last Monday , only a few people knew about an obscure anti-Islam video produced in the U.S. Today , people around the world are aware of it . The video sparked protests worldwide , starting in Egypt and Libya , and then spreading to other countries . Tragically , some of the protests turned violent and took the lives of Americans , Libyans , Tunisians and Yemenis .

The protests have subsided for now , it seems . In assessing what happened , we have to be cautious and ensure that we do not point fingers in the wrong direction .

As things become clearer , it seems that the video was created and promoted by members of the American Coptic Christian community -- a community with its roots in Egypt . It is understandable that Muslims worldwide were deeply offended by the video . The United Nations called the video `` hateful '' and the Obama administration called it `` disgusting . ''

But , there were other elements at work in the some of the protests ; there are those who used anger at the video to promote their own agendas . For example , the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya was likely a terrorist operation that took advantage of the protests .

In the midst of all this , it is not surprising that some people looked to assign blame and demand apologies . These people within the Arab world began blaming the Coptic community -- a community whose very name means `` Egyptian . '' In response , the Coptic Church , both in Egypt as well as in the United States , insisted that it has nothing to do with the video . It also said that the video does not in any way represent the view of the Coptic community .

I do know a Copt who was involved with the promotion of the video . I met Morris Sadek earlier this year . Sadek 's personal actions have nothing to do with the Coptic Church or the Coptic-American community . Virtually no Coptic Christian I encountered had heard of him before . They know about him now . And in response , he received a volley of shoes from outraged members of the Coptic community for his promotion of bigotry .

It is a mark of Christian value for the Coptic Church to condemn the video and its filmmakers . But the Coptic Church should never be placed in the position of having to apologize for the actions of a few of its members .

The same applies to Muslims . From the local representatives of Muslim communities in America , to the religious establishments of Egypt and Libya , to the leadership of the Organization of the Islamic Conference , which represents all Muslim countries , we have heard apologies and condemnations for the violence .

The Muslim community at large is not responsible for the violence , and it should not be expected to apologize for the actions of some of its members . The violent actions of a comparatively small number of individuals do not represent all Muslims , just as the video does not represent the views of all Coptic Christians . Neither group needs to apologize , but both should be recognized for their solidarity in condemning the violence .

At some point , there do need to be levelheaded discussions about hate speech -LRB- which is legal in America , unlike most other countries -RRB- , the roots of widespread anti-Americanism in the Middle East and elsewhere , and what different cultures consider as sacred .

Before that can take place , we should be careful about whom we hold accountable . It should be those who have been directly fanning the flames of intolerance not just over the last few months , but over the years .

The video did not appear in a vacuum . There is a well-organized network that thrives on promoting anti-Muslim bigotry within the U.S. . It provided an ideological base for Anders Breivik , recently convicted of mass murder in Norway . Similarly , there are those within the Muslim Arab world who also push for a hateful agenda , to devastating effect .

The last few days are just a reminder of how important it is to confront such promoters of hate . Whether it 's through legal channels or social pressures , they must be dealt with . Their aim , simply , is to engineer cultural wars between non-Muslims and Muslims . That must not be allowed to happen .

The least we can do now is to make sure not to blame the wrong people for the vile actions of a few individuals . That is , after all , precisely what they want -- for us to do their dirty work for them .

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of H.A. Hellyer .

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An anti-Islam video that sparked protests seems to have involved Coptics

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H.A. Hellyer : We must not point fingers in the wrong direction

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He says the video does not in any way represent the view of the Coptic community

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Hellyer : Coptics , Muslims should not have to apologize for the actions of a few people